Carteret did use, that is, only
his credit with them. He told us the masters and owners of two
ships that I had complained of, for not readily setting forth
their ships which we had taken up to make men-of-war, had been
yesterday with the King and Council, and had made their case so
well understood, that the King did owe them for what they had
earned the last year, and that they could not set them out again
without some money or stores out of the King's Yard; the latter
of which Sir W. Coventry said must be done, for that they were
not able to raise money for them, though it was but 200l. a ship:
which do show us our condition to be so bad, that I am in a total
despair of ever having the nation do well. After that talking
awhile, and all out of heart with stories of want of seamen, and
seamen's running away, and their demanding a month's advance, and
our being forced to give seamen 3s. a-day to go hence to work at
Chatham, and other things that show nothing but destruction upon
us; for it is certain that, as it now is, the seamen of England,
in my conscience, would, if they could, go over and serve the
King of France or Holland rather than us.
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